[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 172 (Sunday, November 23, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 6, ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2003

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                               speech of

                            HON. MAX SANDLIN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 18, 2003

  Mr. SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for the long-
overdue energy conference report, while at the same time sharing my 
disappointment with the process by which the House leadership has 
brought this legislation to the floor.
  As we all know, one of the greatest problems facing the United States 
today is our lack of national energy independence. The United States' 
dependence upon foreign sources of oil is simply unacceptable for a 
country rich in natural resources and equipped with the capability to 
develop these resources as a means of increasing our national security. 
At the height of the energy crisis during the 1970s, the United States 
imported 46 percent of our oil supply. Today, it is estimated that we 
import approximately 55 percent of all energy used in this country. As 
America's energy consumption increases, our need to produce more energy 
rises as well. Unfortunately, supply is not meeting demand, and our 
increased reliance on foreign sources of energy has potentially 
disastrous consequences for our economy and national security. The 
energy conference report contains significant incentives for the 
exploration and production of oil and gas and represents an important 
step toward increasing our national energy independence.
  At the same time, energy independence cannot be attained through 
production alone. Though Congress should strongly encourage the 
production of energy sources such as oil, gas, and nuclear power, 
Congress should also incentivize businesses and consumers to produce 
energy with wind and solar power and conserve energy through innovative 
technologies.
  When used effectively, the Internal Revenue Code [``the Code''] can 
help to stimulate both the production and conservation of energy. 
Provisions in the Code such as section 29 and section 45 have 
stimulated the production of nonconventional fuels and wind energy, 
respectively, and the tax title of the energy conference report will 
extend these credits and encourage continued production from these 
sources for years to come.
  Further, the report's funding authorizations and tax incentives for 
investment in clean coal technology will benefit both consumers and the 
environment in the state of Texas. Texas consumes more coal for 
electricity generation than any other state in the country, with a 
significant amount of that coal mined in Texas. Unfortunately, while 
generation facilities must burn coal to provide the electricity that so 
many people take for granted, burning coal inevitably releases some 
pollutants into our atmosphere. Together with private industry, the 
Department of Energy's clean coal technology program is working to 
develop cleaner-burning technologies that will decrease emissions of 
nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and other airborne pollutants.
  Additionally, I am pleased that the conference report seeks to 
decrease our over-reliance on foreign sources of oil by repealing the 
current sunsets for the qualified electric vehicle credit and clean 
fuel vehicles deductions. Further, I appreciate the inclusion of a 
credit for the purchase of hydrogen fuel cell motor vehicles. I 
included a similar provision in my energy tax legislation, H.R. 1436, 
the Energy Independence and Security Act, and believe strongly that 
fuel cell technology holds enormous potential for the future. The 
federal government has an important role to play in the development and 
use of this clean, renewable energy source.
  Any balanced energy plan must acknowledge that Americans need to 
increase our conservation efforts in an attempt to move closer to 
energy independence. To that end, I appreciate the inclusion of 
incentives to homeowners to make energy efficient home improvements 
that decrease their consumption of energy.
  As well, the energy conference report's increased funding 
authorization for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program 
[LIHEAP] will directly benefit low-income Texans in my district who 
rely on LIHEAP aid to pay their utility bills. Last yeas, Texans 
received $50.1 million through this federal grant program, and this 
legislation should increase the amount of federal aid that Texas 
receives in the future.
  Further, I believe that the electricity provisions contained within 
the conference report will encourage the improvement of our country's 
transmission infrastructure by reducing the depreciable lives for 
transmission assets from twenty to fifteen years. Accelerating the 
depreciation period will provide additional resources for electric 
utilities to modernize their transmission systems, which should 
increase the reliability, safety, arid security of the national grid 
system.
  I am, however, extremely disappointed with the process by which the 
Republican leadership has brought this measure to the floor. It is well 
known by now that the Republican leadership and energy conferees in 
both Houses drafted the conference report without Democratic 
participation. Democratic legislators who, in some cases, have been 
involved in drafting complex energy legislation for several decades 
were prohibited from taking part in this process. Mr. Speaker, the 
Republicans' behavior throughout this process has been outrageous and 
inexcusable, and their actions demonstrate a contempt both for the 
democratic process and the constituents of the legislators who have 
been denied a voice over the past several months.

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